1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of fishing apparatus and more specifically relates to a sinker, the structure of which permits it to be freed and recovered after it has become snagged on underwater objects.
2. The Prior Art
Typically, a weight is attached to the distal end of a fishing line, either to enhance the distance it can be cast from the fisherman or to anchor the end of the line to the bottom. As the sinker moves along the bottom, it runs the risk of becoming snagged on or between rocks or other objects on the bottom. When this occurs, the fisherman has little choice but to pull on the line, hoping thereby to free the sinker. In many cases, before sufficient force can be applied to free the sinker, the line breaks, and the sinker is lost.
A number of inventors have addressed the problem of designing a sinker that is less likely to become snagged or that is easily released from the line after it has become snagged. A few of these efforts will now be described.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,779 issued Sep. 14, 1993, Reed discloses a sinker that is supple and that is formed by placing steel-shot into a woven sleeve. The steel shot are not strung on a line, and the sleeve is closed at both ends. The diameter of the sleeve is small enough to keep the shot in a single file, but large enough to impart a high degree of flexibility.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,228 issued Feb. 18, 1992, Waldie, Jr., describes an elastomeric retainer that pulls through a snagged toroid-shaped weight. The weight is left behind and lost.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,550 issued Aug. 28, 1984, Haulk describes a sinker that includes an egg-shaped weight having a bore that extends through it. A wire runs through the bore and is bent sufficiently to retain the weight. The force required to free the wire from the snagged weight is less than the force required to break the line.
In Australian Patent No. 286,106, Cameron describes a sinker in the form of a bag into which one can load an amount of shot appropriate to the prevailing conditions. The shot remains loose within the bag.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,151 issued Mar. 7, 1978, Johnson discloses a bag partly filled with sand and having a weakened upper portion that tears to release the line.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,398 Newell discloses a sinker having an eye to which the line is attached, having a flexible tubular section, and having a cylindrical weight that is plugged into the distal end of the tubular section. The weight is lost when it becomes necessary to free a snagged sinker.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,981 issued May 30, 1961, King discloses a sack in which an egg-shaped weight is located along with sufficient water to submerge the weight. The weight does not leave the sack. The flexibility of the sack is relied upon to prevent snagging.
The above patents may be placed into groups. The first group consists of sinkers that have a supple or flexible structure which, it is asserted, prevents them from becoming snagged. However, if they do become snagged, the sinkers offer no particular advantage. In the second group, the snagged sinker separates and part of it is left behind.
The present invention falls into a class by itself because, once it has become snagged, the entire sinker can be recovered and reused.